Eğitim ve Öğretim Araştırmaları Dergisi Journal of Research in Education and Teaching Şubat 2015 Cilt:4 Sayı: 1 Makale No: 33 ISSN: 2146-9199 THE RELATION BETWEEN TEACHER CANDIDATES’ EPISTEMOLOGICAL BELIEFS AND CRITICAL PEDAGOGY PRINCIPLES Doç. Dr. Ali Rıza Terzi BAÜ, Necatibey Eğitim Fakültesi terzioglu53@hotmail.com Yrd. Doç. Dr. Hasan Hüseyin Şahan BAÜ, Necatibey Eğitim Fakültesi hasansahan@windowsliwe.com Arş. Gör. Hande Çelik BAÜ Necatibey Eğitim Fakültesi handecelik@balikesir.edu.tr Hasan Zöğ BAÜ SBE Eğitim Bilimleri ABD Doktora Öğrencisi zoghasan@gmail.com Abstract The main objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between epistemological beliefs and critical pedagogy principles of the teacher candidates having pedagogical formation education. The research is designed as a relational survey model and the sample of the study includes 500 pedagogical formation students in 11 groups at Balıkesir University Necatibey Educational Faculty in 2013-2014 summer semester. Epistemological Belief Scale and Critical Pedagogy Principles Scale are used for collecting data. According to the results of the study, there is a relationship between epistemological beliefs and critical pedagogy principles of the teacher candidates who are having pedagogical formation education. Teacher candidates have developed/mature epistemological beliefs about “learning is based on one’s effort”. Besides, there is a significant difference between male and female teacher candidates. Female teacher candidates agree the item “learning is based on one’s effort” more than male teacher candidates. Also, it is found that there are statistically significant differences according to departments of the teacher candidates. Teacher candidates studying in social branches agree the items “learning is based on one’s effort” and “there is only one truth” more than the candidates studying in physical sciences. Key Words: Epistemological belief, critical pedagogy, teacher candidates. 344